The dramatic story of Gandhi and India's long march to freedom by award-winning author Neal Bascomb.
Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.
In 1930, the Indian people, long ruled by their British occupiers, were at a breaking point. No more could many stand the terrible demands of colonial rule. At this pivotal moment, Mohandas Gandhi, who had suffered firsthand for decades the cruelty of his oppressors, saw an opportunity to win his people's freedom. And so, Gandhi led a small band of his followers on a grueling march from his ashram in western India to the Arabian Sea. After 24 days and 241 miles under a withering sun, the marchers arrived on the Dandi seashore. There, Gandhi scooped up a handful of salt to protest the much-hated British salt tax, demonstrating to the world the injustice of Britain's yoke and setting the stage for a popular national uprising.
In the dramatic months that followed, Gandhi led acts of nonviolent resistance against the British Raj across the country that would eventually culminate in a brutal crackdown. But Gandhi and those who bravely stood with him faced arrest, beatings, and even bullets without ever raising a hand in retaliation.
These events inspired India to demand its liberty from Britain, awakened the world to a movement that would forever change the course of history, and inspired generations of freedom fighters all over the globe.
Award-winning author Neal Bascomb chronicles what was arguably Gandhi's most notable campaign in his struggle for India's independence. His focus on nonviolent protest and revolutionary action introduces young readers to a pivotal historical moment with timely implications for today's world.
Praise for The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile:
"Amply researched, dramatically told, and an inspiring tribute to amateur sports, this work is highly recommended for libraries serving middle and upper elementary students." -- School Library Journal
"Bascomb brings his signature meticulous style to this gripping narrative nonfiction tale." -- Kirkus Reviews
Praise for The Racers:
* "Masterly history detective Bascomb provides a fascinating chronicle... Will engage readers... Riveting... Compelling story line... Highly recommended for middle and high school students who enjoy narrative nonfiction and sports history." -- School Library Journal, starred review
* "Bascomb excels at launching the reader along famous racecourses...palpably describing the pressures felt by the drivers both literally and emotionally... Though geared toward car and racing enthusiasts, this book will enthrall any with a passing curiosity in those subjects or history lovers who enjoy an underdog tale. Period photos and posters, plus an extensive bibliography, fortify this impressive speed read." -- Booklist, starred review
"Exhilarating." -- Publishers Weekly
"Bascomb is adept at interweaving historical, biographical, and heart-pounding sports threads into a compulsive whole, in which Hitler and hubris get their comeuppance, and for a brief moment in 1938 before World War II fully detonates, Nazis are bested. With plenty of period illustrations and a fascinating author's note on Bascomb's joyride in a Delahaye 145, as well as bibliography, source notes, and index, this promises broad crossover appeal for teens and adults, history and sports buffs, engineering enthusiasts, and of course, anyone mesmerized by Ford v Ferrari." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Bascomb takes a comple
